The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-03-02
THE ASTOR LIBRARY.
Interesting Information as To the Us,
Which Is Made ofIts Treasures.

interesting US 10 Tic L ~
which Is Made ofIts Treasures
The tn rty-cighth annual report OF
the Aslor library for the year ending
Dec. 81, 1856, presents q variety of in
terestng and valuable statistical in
formation, the principal features o.
which are briefly summarized as fol
lows:
There was expended for books an,
binding during the year the sum OF
Sl1, S9l.62. The fund for the library''
maintenance is S4ll,55 while the en-.
dowment fund amounts to 81. APP. 594-. |
Al. Its income was S22. II, show. !
ing n diminution of 81, 800. 80. due to
lower rates of interest The insurance
remains the same-vs: On books, |
1920, 600; on the building, 800, O00 !
The additions, by purchase and dona
ton, amount in 1859 volumes, eXclu.
sive of pamphlets. The total number
of volumes in the library on the 3lst
of December last, pamphlets excepted,
was 225, 40. The trustees state that
the cardinal idea of its being strictly
library of reference has been rigidly
maintained. The first volume of the
catalogue in continuation of DR.. Cogs
wells was printed in April, 1856, and
forms bulky volume of Lis pages,
ending with and including the letter
'D." During 1886 the number OF
re dcrs was 6,S9L These figures in
clude alcove readers. who were 9, 400,
This is greater showing than that of
any showing since the opening of the
library, except 1885. The most re-
markablc accession was fine copy of
Ptolemy's Cosmography edition in
147S, bound in green morocco, the gift
of Mr.. Aston.
A comparison of the figures exhibit
ed by the table showing the number
of readers and books read" will prove
interesting. From this table it appears
that English literature leads the list in
popularity, with 1888 readers, and
that works upon other subjects follow
in ther order: American history, a.
800; American literature, 10,4l5; French
literature 1926; fine arts, 6.044;
general science. 5,50l British history,
5.4S0; medium and surgery, 5,242;
classical literature. 1850; philology
and linguistics, 1920; encyclopedias,
4, 665; heraldry and genealogy. 1926;
French history, $3.50; mechanics and
engineering, 1857; German literature
1922. The studies winch exhibit the
smallest number of admirers are
Portuguese history, 8; Netherand
literature. II: VOYAGES and travels,
West Indies and Central America, SO;
Portuguese literature, 81; photography,
81; zoology, "a; ethics, 46; ethnology,
II; conchology, y, A more popular
library, or rather an institution open
both day and evening, would doubtless
make n wide difference in many of
these figures. Certainly heraldry and
the fine arts generally not to speak of
English literature, would be greatly To.
duced from the statistics here present
ed.
The most popular studies of the Dab
alcove readers seem to have been--the
figures showing the number of readers
theology, so; fine arts. 500 English
literature, 4l2; American literature.
243. and general science, POS.
Throughout the list about the same
ratio rs that given in the preceding
synopsis is shown. An evidence of the
interest which the visitors to the
library take in invention is shown by
the fact that no less than 1851 of the
alcove readers selected books treating
of pa tents. -NcW Yorh Herdld.